Oscillating water sprinkler



1949' J. T. PORTER 61,768

I OSCILLATING WATER SPRINKLER I Filed Aug 7, 1945 E INVENTOR.

JiaMES T. PORTER ATTORNEY Patented Feb..15, 1949 UNITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE a 2,461,768 v OSCILLATING WATER SPRINKLER v James T. Porter, La Mesa, Calif. .Application August 7, 1945,'Serial No. 609,397

.My invention relates to an oscillating water sprinkler and the objects of my invention are:

I First, to provide a water sprinkler in which an automatically shiftable nozzle is arranged to oscillate through a predetermined arc, automatically reversing the direction of rotation of the'nozzle;

Second, to provide a sprinkler of this character in which the are through which the nozzle oscillates is made easily variable;

Third, to provide a device of this character having a waterwheel operated by the water spray and indirectly providing positive trip action to reverse the direction of rotation of the'nozzle;

Fourth, to provide a device of this character which may be used to water a delinated area other than circular in shape; and Y Fifth, to provide an oscillating sprinkler which is simple and practicable to manufacture, convenient to use, and which is sturdy and designed to give efficient and durable service.

;With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying'drawings and to' the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in whichi Figure 1 is a fragmentarytop or plan view of the water sprinklershowing portions broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration and showing by dash lines and arrows varying positions of parts of the-water sprinkler and showing by arrows the passage of water therethrough;

' Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of my sprinkler showing by dash lines varying positions of parts thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken from the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing portions in elevation to facilitatethe illustration and showing by arings.

inthe hollow cylindrical portion lb and extending longitudinally therein is the shaft 4, on the oppositeends of which are mounted the-worms 1 and 8, theworm 8 being shown by dash-line in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In mesh with the worm i3 is the worm gear 9, shown by dash lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This worm gear 9 is mounted on the lower end of theshaft 5, to the upper end of which is fixed the waterwheel 2, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. This waterwheel 2 is provided with radiallydisposed angular blade portions 2a which extend in substantially vertical relation, as shown in Fig.2 of the draw- The worm 'l' is arranged in mesh with the worm gear portion 6a of the gear and water conductor 6, as shown best in Fig. 3 and Fig. 1 of the drawings. On the gear and water conductor member 6 is revolubly mounted the casing portion la and the lower end of said member 6 is provided with a screw threaded portion 6b arranged to be connected to a stationary tubular water conductor member such as a solid vertically extend- .ing water pipe arranged to hold said gear and in the said casing portion la. Rigidly connected to the nozzle 3 is a lever-arm 3a which is engaged by the bifurcated portion Illa. of the nozzle trip rows the passage of water through the water sprinkler; Fi 4 is a transverse sectional view ,taken from the line l4- of Fig. 2 showing portions broken away to facilitate the illustration.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings:

The casing member I, waterwheel 2, nozzle 3, shafts 4 and 5, gear, water conductor member 6,

worms 1 and 8, worm gear 9, nozzletrip levers lever Ill as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This nozzle trip lever l'll is pivotally mounted on a bolt lllb rigidly connected with the'casing portion la, as shown best in Fig. '2 ofthe drawings.

, Pivotally connected at the lower end of the nozzle trip lever l6 below the bolt lUb is the nozzle trip lever II which is connected with the casing portion la below the pivotal connection of the trip levers Ill and ll. Spaced outwardly extending stop members lo and Id are arranged to engage the opposite side edges of the nozzle trip lever l I when shifted to various positions, as indicated by dash lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Secured to the nozzle trip levers l0 and II in intermediate relationtherewith is the tension spring l2, as shown best in Fig. 20f the drawings. This tension spring I2 is connected with the nozzle trip lever ll below the pivotal connectionthese lever engaging fingers I3 are pivotally It will therefore be noted that 4 wardly out of interference with the lever II whereby continuous rotation of the casing I is permitted.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and mounted on the pins I3a and may be shifted outwardly into interference with the trip lever I I or may be shifted downwardly to substantially the dash line position A out of interference therewith as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The operation of the water sprinkler is substantially as follows: Assuming that the screw threaded portion 62) of the gear and water conductor member 6 is secured to a stationary pressure water conductor, water passing upwardly through this gearand water conductor member 6, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 3 of the drawings, passes upwardly and outwardly through the nozzle 3 and strikes the blades 2a of the waterwheel 2 revolving the same and with it the shaft to which the water wheel is connected. This shaft 5 operates the worm gear 9 in mesh with the worm 8 which revolves the shaft 4 on which is mounted the worm I in mesh with the gear portion 6a of the gear and water conductor 6. The gear and water conductor member 6 being maintained in rigid stationary position causes the casing portions Ia and lb to revolve around said gear and water conductor 6 carrying with the same the water wheel 2 and the nozzle 3 together with the nozzle trip levers Ill and II. When the casing portion Ia, carrying the nozzle trip levers it and ii, revolves a certain distance, the nozzle trip lever i I engages one of the radially extending lever engaging fingers I3 and this trip lever II engages one of the stop portions Id or Ic pivoting the trip lever I Ii upon the bolt Illb and causing the nozzle 3 to shift in the opposite direction starting the operation of the water wheel 2 in the opposite direction.

It will be here noted that when the nozzle trip lever II is engaged by one of the fingers I3, one .of the stop portions Ic or Id in connection with r the casing portion Ia forces the trip lever I I! in its pivotal relation with the bolt Illb causing the spring I2 to pass over the central portion of the bolt I61) and to snap the nozzle triplevers II! and i i together with the nozzle 3 in opposite direction,

.as indicated by dash lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Particular attention is called to the over center relation of the spring I2 and the pivotal connection of the trip lever II below the stationary pivotal mounting bolt I ilb of the trip lever iii which provides a compound over-center trip mechanism when the trip lever I I engages one of the stop portions Id or to and provides a positive shifting force upon the lever Iii until the same is passed over the center point in relation with the spring it. The lever engaging fingers I3 in their pivotal relation may be set up to limit the revolving action of the casing members Ia and lb around the gear and water conductor 6, as desired. When the finger members I3 are arranged in the desired positions, the Water sprinkler will alternately shift back and forth by means of the shift able nozzle 3 controlled by the trip members it and Ii, as hereinbefore described. This provides means by the use of which a person may sprinkle water on a particular area so that the water is distributed evenly in alternately changing directions of spraying operation it will be here noted that all of the fingers I3 may be pivoted downarrangement but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A water sprinkler having a water conductor, a revoluble housing, a' revolubly mounted nozzle on said housing, an arm on said nozzle, a pair of spring connected nozzle trip levers hinged together on said housing associated with said arm, a waterwheel adapted to be rotated alternately in two directions by water flowing from said nozzle, a gear train between said waterwheel and'said housing, and stops adapted to trip said trip levers and said arm when said housing is rotated'in either direction.

2. A water sprinkler having a water conductor, a revoluble housing, a revolubly mounted nozzle on said housing, an arm on said nozzle, a pair of spring connected nozzle trip levers hinged together on said housing associated with said arm, a waterwheel adapted to be rotated alternately in two directions by water flowing from said nozzle, a gear train between said waterwheel and said housing, and stops adapted to trip said trip levers and said arm when said housing is rotated in either direction, said stops being adjustable and arranged peripherally of said housing on said water conductor.

3. A water sprinkler having a revoluble housing and a revolubly mounted nozzle on said housing, an arm on said nozzle, a pair of nozzle trip levers on' said housing associated with said arm, a water wheel adapted to be rotated alternately in two directions by water flowing from said nozzle, a gear train between said waterwheel and said housing, and stops adapted to trip said trip levers and said arm when said housing is rotated in either direction, said pair of trip levers being pivotally connected together and secured on a single pivot'on said housing and having a spring stretched in intermediate relation between the levers of said pair to provide over-center snap lever action.

4. An oscillating water sprinkler having a waterwheel, a nozzle shiftable to change the direction of rotation of said waterwheel, a gear train in connection with said waterwheel and a pair of spring connected levers connected to said nozzle whereby continued rotation of said waterwheel in either direction shifts said nozzle, said waterwheel, nozzle, gear train and levers being mounted on a hollow housing revolubly mounted on a fixed hollow member having a fixed gear positioned at one end of said gear train, and stops on said fixed member peripherally arranged around said housing to trip said levers.

JAMES T. PORTER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Higgins Aug. 3, 1926 Number 

